Interactive aquarium LED lighting
Hello if you are reading this when you need to be interested in installing LEDs in your
aquarium coffee table. Below are some very simple instructions on how to achieve a beautiful, dynamic, and interactive look to the lights in your aquarium.
When I say "in your aquarium coffe table" I mean exactly that. Most of the lighting systems I have found for aquariums online get lighting from outside the tank. This aquarium has light at the same time peaceful in the tank with its inhabitants!
It should be noted that exposure to salt water can discolor and degrade the silicone on the waterproof LED light bar, so this type of installation is recommended for drinking water tanks only.
Step 1: components
First, a list of the components that I used to achieve this goal.
Tank: I bought a basic 20 gallon appetizer fish tank for this project + a set of cool fish tank scenery that would look cool with lights in them. All bought at Petsmart.
Glass skull: http://crystalheadvodka.com/welcome
LED:
High density waterproof RGB LED light bar on the base (2 feet)
Waterproof RGB LED light bar on the base (3 feet)
High density flexible LED light bar on the base (2 feet)
Apollo Jammer LED Music Controller
Analog LED Color Controller (2)
Waterproof RGB extension cables (4)
Waterproof RGB solder connector pair (4)
Waterproof LED strip light sealant kit
12V adapter - 60 watt
DC splitter plug (3-way)
(1) hot glue gun + glue
Step 2: installation
This was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. The first thing you need to do is cut this short video and re-solder waterproof light strips.
How to: solder waterproof LED light bar
Cut the waterproof RGB strip light to the lengths of your choice, and plug a waterproof RGB soldering down to the end of each section. Use a sealing cap to seal the other end as well as to keep the strip completely water-tight.
Then you can connect each section to a waterproof RGB extension cable running back to a color controller. Using the other end of the waterproof RGB soldering connector, the extension cable can simply be connected to the control of the color of your choice.
Each of these strips can easily be installed into a fish tank decoration with a little bit of hot glue.
Step 3: Installation features + diagram
I have a 3 "section of high density RGB waterproof strip under the waterfall faucet, a 1.5" section inside "ghost" in front of the waterfall, and a 3 "section under the glass skull. The waterfall light and haunted house are both up to one of the analog color controller wired. The skull light is wired to the Apollo jammer.
I put a 1 'section of the waterproof RGB strip light on the bottom of the fish tank cap and a 2' section behind the waterfall. These two strips are wired back to the second analog color controller.
(2) 1 'sections of high density flexible light bar (neutral white) are both built behind a waterproof piece of plastic in the lid and are both wired onto the Apollo jammer. One is wired to the "red" channel, and one is wired to the "green" channel. The Apollo Jammer is connected to my computer which will play a "thunderstorm" sound track. When the thunder gets loud enough, the light flashes like lightning! This irritates the fish, so I don't do it too often.
The two analog color controllers can adjust the rest of the color lights in a dynamic way.
Step 4: final look
I hope this project will have inspired you to try out a dynamically lit aquarium yourself!
